Improved railway-car brake



D; M. ELDER.

Railway Car Brake.

Patented Feb. 8, 1870. I

m PETERS. Pholo-Lilhognphn, Wnhinakm, n a

illnited swat strut otjljlitc.

Letters Patent N 99,545, dated February 8, 1870.

IMPROVED RAILWAY-CAR BRAKE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, .DAN I EL M. ELDER, of Monmouth, county of \Va'rren, State. of Illinois, have invented a new and improved self Applyiu g Gar-Brake; v

and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being bad to accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine, embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view-of the levers g and s, sliding bar 11-, projections t t, and fulcrum T, all operating in connect-ion with A 1.

Figure 3, a side view of A 1, operating on the leve-r g. V

The nature of iny invention consists in the construction and operation of connecting slotted draw-bars or rods, working longitudinally beneath the cars, whose extremities act as buffers, and being provided with couplings, form a continuous connection throughout the train, so arranged to act on levers connected with the brakes as that the engineer can apply or release the brakes throughout the entire train, from the engine, thereby lessening the danger of accident and expense of brakemen, as will hereafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure-1 is an isometrical view of the bottom of a car.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, ontheline x-z of fig; 1.

A represents the floor of a car.

B, the axles.

O, the wheels.

D D D, the connecting draw-bar or rod, consisting of three pieces, rabbeted at the extremities, where they meet.

D D", the two end pieces, are provided with any convenient coupling-device at their outer extremities. Slots (l are cut, near their inner extremities, through the rabbeted ends.

The middle piece D is out with a slot, ll, or provided with shoulders e e.

A bolt, E, passes transversely through the slot d, and the fixed longitudinal bars F, to which itissecured. The fixed bars 1+ are rabbeted to fit the shoulders c of the movable draw-bar D.

The draw-bar D is also provided with upright bolts G, secured to its rabbetcd ends, and which pass up through the slots d of bars D D.

Knee-shaped projections or studs, H H, are secured to the under sides of bars .D D".

Two methods of operation are shown: one method is suitable to brakes working between the wheels, and the other to brakes applied to theirouter sides.

In the latter case, the brake-shoes a are secured to brake-beams K-K',.which are hung from the bottom of the car by swing-rods I).

These brake-beams are connected by a rod, 0, pivoted in proper bearings, secured to the beam K and to a lever, Z, pivoted in'bearings secured to the other beam K. V

Another connecting-rod, m, is pivoted to the other end of lever l, and to the lower end of lever .L,which is hung in proper bearings, secured to the transom M.

By the other method, the brakes a a. are supended between the wheels.

Between these brakes a a, are oval-shaped blocks or cams c, which are attached to the pivoted-rodb' at each end.

To the centre of this rod h, is secured a lever, j, connected by a solid link, g, to a lever, L, which is hung improper bearings, secured to transom M.

0 O are levers, havingl their fulcra at p 1), in slots out in the bolsters P I or other convenient part of the car-frame. These levers are also slotted, to receive the pins q q, which are secured to sliding bars The sliding bars Q Q are provided with slotted projections 1', which operate to throw the lovers connected with the brakes out of and into position, so that the v brakes can be adjusted, as desired, either to' be acted upon by the connecting draw-bars, or worked independently by other means.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

When the train is in motion, the connecting drawbars or rods throughout .the train will be drawn outward, as shown by the dotted lines in fig. 2 to the full extent of the slots d d, or until held by the bolts G or E, or shoulders c c, as each, or either, or their equivalent device, is resorted to for the purpose.

\Vheu it is desired to stop the train, the steam being shut off, the train will be forced against the engine, and the bars D and D will be pushed in, when the knee-shaped projections or studs H B will come in contact with and press against theiupper end of the levers L L, thereby applying the brakes to the first car, which, in turn, will cause alike action to all the brakes in the train, causing'it to stop within a very short distance. The amount of pressure on the brakes can easily be regulated by the engineer, through the motive-power of the engine. j

\Vhen it is desired to release the brakes frolnlthe action of the draw-bars, it can be done by altering the position of levers O 0, thereby throwing the levers L L clear of the knee-shaped projections on draw-bars D'D".

I claim, as my invention 1. The levers O O andsliding bars Q Q, provided with slotted projections 'r, or their equivalent, combined and operated substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

2. The arrangement ofrabbeted draw-bars D D",' having slots d and draw-bar D, having slot d or shoulders e, with bolts G, bolt E, and bars 1*, the whole constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of lever O and sliding bar Q with levers L l, rods e and m, stud H, brake-beams K K, and brakes a, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of lever O and sliding bar Q with levers L and f, link g, rod b, cams d, brakes a,

gng stud H, substantially as and for the purpose speci- 5. The combination of draw-bars D D D", studs H H, and levers L L, with levers O O and sliding bars Q Q, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

DANIEL M. ELDER. Witnesses:

J OHN M. MARTIN, DAVID B. PATTERSON. 

